title: Vapor-phase concentrations of PAHs and their derivatives determined in a large city: correlations with their atmospheric aerosol concentrations.
abstract: Thirteen PAHs, five nitro-PAHs and two hydroxy-PAHs were determined in 55 vapor-phase samples collected in a suburban area of a large city (Madrid, Spain), from January 2008 to February 2009. The data obtained revealed correlations between the concentrations of these compounds and a series of meteorological factors (e.g., temperature, atmospheric pressure) and physical-chemical factors (e.g., nitrogen and sulfur oxides). As a consequence, seasonal trends were observed in the atmospheric pollutants. A "mean sample" for the 14-month period would contain a total PAH concentration of 13835±1625 pg m(-3) and 122±17 pg m(-3) of nitro-PAHs. When the data were stratified by season, it emerged that a representative sample of the coldest months would contain 18900±2140 pg m(-3) of PAHs and 150±97 pg m(-3) of nitro-PAHs, while in an average sample collected in the warmest months, these values drop to 9293±1178 pg m(-3) for the PAHs and to 97±13 pg m(-3) for the nitro-PAHs. Total vapor phase concentrations of PAHs were one order of magnitude higher than concentrations detected in atmospheric aerosol samples collected on the same dates. Total nitro-PAH concentrations were comparable to their aerosol concentrations whereas vapor phase OH-PAHs were below their limits of the detection, indicating these were trapped in airborne particles.
authors.affiliation: CIEMAT/Department of Chemistry, Avda. Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: anaisabel.barrado@ciemat.es.
authors.forename: Ana Isabel
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Barrado
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Marisa Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sevillano
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barrado
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis*; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry*; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008685:Meteorological Concepts; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
keywords: DCM; Fluorescence; Liquid chromatography; Nitro-PAHs; OH-PAHs; PAHs; PM(10) and PM(2.5); PUF; Vapor-phase; dichloromethane; hydroxy-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; nitro-PAHs; nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; particulate matter (different sizes); polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; polyurethane foam (cartridges)